The Cherokee Middle School Yellow Jackets turned in a dominating 40-0 victory over the Norwood Jaguars Thursday night.

"I thought we played hard tonight and executed well," Cherokee head coach Brian Pankey. "I got to give Norwood credit, they never gave up in the game."

Cherokee only took one play to score on their first offensive series with a 61-yard Rhett Jones touchdown run. Jones then converted the two-point play to make the score 8-0 with 5:49 left in the opening quarter.

Cherokee scored again with 5:54 left in the second quarter. After getting the ball back on a Frank Slipcevic fumble recovery, the Jackets scored on a three-play, 38-yard drive capped off by a five-yard touchdown by Jones.

Austin Davis scored the two-point conversion to make the score 16-0.

With 30 seconds left in the half, it was Jones taking an interception back 80 yards for the Yellow Jacket touchdown.

The two-point try was no good and the score was 22-0 at halftime.

With 6:35 left in the third quarter, it only took three plays for the Jackets to cover 64 yards, with the scoring play coming on a 30-yard Davis touchdown run.

The two-point try was no good and the score was now 28-0.

With 6:29 left in the game, Maurice Lane scored on a five-yard run for the Jackets to cap off an eight-play, 37-yard drive.

Again, the two point play fell short making the score 34-0.

The final Jackets score came on a 55-yard Bryce Woody touchdown run.

The two-point attempt was no good, making the final score 40-0.

Cherokee out gained Norwood in total yards 255-77, with the Jackets getting all their yards on the ground and Norwood getting 44 yards through the air.

Cherokee was led on the ground by Jones (4-87-2 TDs), Davis (4-70-1 TD), Woody (2-58-1 TD) and Malcolm Lane (4-33).

Norwood was led on the ground by Blake Danner (8-30) and in receiving by Aiden Thornton (1-44) and on defense by Keith Roberts (3 tackles).

"We need to get in better shape because some of our kids got winded today in the hot weather and we need to work on our pass defense,” Pankey said. “We have a couple of young sixth graders in the secondary."

Next up for Cherokee is Wartburg on Thursday.

"I know they like to throw the ball around," Pankey said. "We need to play pass defense on them because Wartburg always plays hard."